Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-05-09
CNbU1 hU9Uh.
Historical sketch, with AN Account al
the General Features Of the InStitu

ton.
RN TRnF. n. :. HOLMES.
( One summer evening in the year 1878.
Lewis Miller, of Akron, Ohio, ami Dr.
Nhs'ent, ci New Y"rh descended from the
traiu at Mayyill-. the plrasart little village
that CROWNS n hill At the h,-ah uf Chautau-
ipua lake. They brought With them little
/ ugCage b,-~idr certain ''Idca' wni,'h ha,i
/ taken root ia then minds
"FaiTpOml" uu thAulaiuua .ahr had ur-rI
/ Suggested 1" them - Il >ultabr ~lt"i Tor
their prcI-'s,-,i experiment and tor "r.ir-
/ point" they Mere bound on this evening" ia
/ August.
Boarding the old r"iuH6 Ip,Niy,> thry
, began an a>thuaiI" Nulagr down tht. LAKE
/ After thirty miuutr> oi Wheeling a',,'
coughing ON the part ut the tniui,l. witch,
I sad tu SAY, N.t~ rr-UrAtcd several YEAR ago.
| the pilgrim fathers ut thautauIHa landed
/ at "faiTpuiIt." where several members of
! 'll- Csmp-mrt'iing ASSOCIATION. Ia ~iInm th,.
! grounds then belonged. were waiting Ia re
I rrtyr them.
"Fairp"int' in I~1Gwa> HWavilN wo"dt
| strip nf lsn'! extending intp the lake al \
| point some tii:er miles from its head. The
only attempt al settlement WAS an audi
! t"num, OF open meeting place, surrounded
! by circle at rough board cot
tsgrS and small tents. The luxury
ot the place WAS concentrated
IA the hotel. a primitive structure on the
| terrace back Of the point. That the uniIi-
| itIatrd stranger might not mistake this Iun
for an ice-houSc OF a barn. a large canvas
sign WAS stretched across under the caves.
! pTocalming the fact that il was hotel
where board and lodging might In. obtained
! iUt the not rNOrbitant sum of one dollar per
day.
| At this place the guests were entertained
1 and tnT time forgot tie important object
! nf their visit in the interest Of the evening
meal. Supper over. the grounds were thor
| oIghiy examined. and FaiTl oi Il was decided
upon a. the local habitation uf their Idea
which was to be- developed the next season.
| The idea" was to hold a ten days insti-
! tute for Sunday school teachers with lee
lures. normal drill. and other exercises cal
| cuiated to increase knowledge and enthusi-
asm among Sunday school workers.
The first assembly in 1874 was com
| plete success. The attendance was com
paratively large. the enthusiasm unbmnded
and the work thorough.
| Naturally. in the work of the assembly. n
|
was an important and prominent feature
As a help in this department it WAS de
cidrd 10 make large model of Palestine.
| which was doI under the direction OF DR..
| Wythe. The lake was turned to account "a
| the Mediterranean sea. and the sea of Galiire
supplied by steam pump. gave the Jordan
all il wanted Ia do in carry ing the surplus "a
the Dead sea. The model is 800 feet long and
| is still one of the attractions of Chautauqua.
! \ little later, an oriental house was built
and a native Turk properly Installed. This
individual got 81 thoroughly into the spirit
nf the realistic effect, that he began 10 give
the Muez2in's call to prayer at 80 every
morning. This proceeding had 50 depreSS,
ing All effect upon the value of real estate
| i'll the nelghborhoOd. however. that the en-
thuSiaSt was eXtinguished in the interes, oi
peace and quietness.
The plan of object-teaching- prominent
| feature in Chautauqua woTk-has found
later and further development in model al
Jerusalem, a smaller model of Palestine. a
model Of the pyramid of Cheops, the RO-
man pathway, and other lesser objects in.
cluded in the museum collection.
With the growth of Chautauqua. the idea
| expanded; lectures and entertainments of 8
| popular character were included in the pro
gramme, and people who took no especial
interest in Sunday school work were Al
tracted by these additional features.
The classes graduating each year from
the normal department became Chamtauqua
alumni, and in this way all esprit ds carp,
! Was developed To which Chautauqua owes
/ much of its early success. Those who Wis
tied the assembly regarded il not merely ~
a summer resort, but a. All alma mater.
c"mmon purpose animated all, and bond
Of sympathy united them.
| In 1878 the Chautauqua Literary and
/ Scientific Circle was organized. for the pnr-
! pose "f pursuing course of home reading.
on the same line with the college curTiciI-
| luuI, bat in English, aud adapted to readers
at large. To-day the c. l.. = e. has I5U, 900
b"Hd h'i' working members in all parts of
/ the world.
Chautauqua has become the Mecca of
| thousands of enthusiastic and earnest pt,,-
! pie. The graduating class pass through
| the Golden Gate over Il howtr-sirewn
pathway to the Hall OF Philosophy" "
| This Is large white building IN ihr Styie
of the Parthrnon, and situated on Il slight
emnence in the center of the beautiful St
Paul's grove. The diplomas are presented
! by Chancellor Vincent.
organized. all large public meetings hal
! been held in the open auditorium. 1t did
not take long Ia find that rain. in common
with time and tide. is diSinclined to wait
and a. soon "a the STATE of their iinncrS
| permitted. the trustees decided to erect a
large. covered amphith-atcr. This plac.
| is h.,iiowed out from the end of rayinc.
. IL seats descend IN tiers like those of Il
f9;rerk theater. IA a central orchestra. A
few years ago a large church organ WAS
| placed in the choir gallery. This is one of
the finest audience rooms in the country
and has seating capacity of five Thousand.
Notwithstanding its great size. the acoustic
properties are excellent.
From the platform of the amphithrater
almost all Of Our prominent lecturers and
divines have spoken, and here many Noted
visitors from abroad have been welcomed.
In 1879 the thaItaGpua summer school
Of languages held its first session. The
old hotel was renovated and whtewaShed.
and the clatter of dishes gave way Ia the
noise of a modern Babel, where French.
German. Angi0-SaXOn. Latin and Greek.
were taught under one roof. At tine same
time the Chautaudua Teachers Retreat was
organized To accomplish in secular school
work the same results attained by the Sun
day school normal department.
Abundant means OF amusement and re-
creation have been provided to supplement
the work in the class rooms. French
s"irces in the parlors of the magnificent
hotel Athen1um give practice in French
conversation: French songs are sung. and
the American hotel parlor seems TO have
become Partisan salon. Other evenings
are given tO German geSfiSciinffcIi for all
who are interested in that language
Those who wish to study about foreign
lands are organized into party OF idea
foreign tourists. who hold conferences and
study foreign architecture and art in an at
tractiye way. Lectures are given in the
line of these ideal excursions, and profit
and pleasure are satisfactorily combined.